Golden State came into Minneapolis riding a tidal wave of momentum. They had just clawed past Houston in a gritty Game 7, Steph was cooking, Jimmy Butler looked like the perfect midseason pickup, and for a moment, it felt like the Warriors were peaking at the perfect time. This was a team that had gone 23-7 since February, suddenly looking like the seasoned problem nobody in the West wanted to see in a short series.

But then came Game 1.

One hamstring strain. One limp to the locker room. One of the greatest point guards of all time reduced to a helpless observer. And just like that, the air got sucked out of the Warriors' playoff run.

In the blink of an eye, what looked like another classic Golden State surge turned into a survival mission without its general. The Timberwolves saw the opening and never looked back. By the time Steph even had a chance to test that leg again, the series was already over.

Basketball can be brutal like that. One moment you’re thinking deep run; the next, you’re circling back to offseason questions and icing injuries that ended more than just a game.

The Road to Round Two: Different Paths, Same Destination

Warriors: A Roller‑Coaster Built on Hope — and Hamstrings

Golden State’s year was about as up and down as it gets. On paper, a 48–34 finish doesn’t scream ‘title threat,’ but context matters — and in this case, it tells you everything. This team flipped the switch in February when they pulled the trigger on a trade for Jimmy Butler, going 23–7 the rest of the way. That’s not a coincidence. Butler brought exactly the kind of edge they’d been missing, someone who could take pressure off Steph and grind out tough buckets when the offense stalled.

Once he settled in, it felt like the Warriors finally found their identity again. They weren’t the run-and-gun darlings from 2016, but they were tough, smart, and dangerous enough to hang with anyone. Curry didn’t have to carry every possession, and Butler’s defense set the tone nightly.

Even their path to the second round had a throwback feel to it. They outlasted the Grizzlies in a bruising play-in game where Ja Morant tried to play hero but just couldn’t get enough help. Then came the Rockets, a team stacked with youth and defenders. Golden State survived it, barely, taking Game 7 behind a classic Steph burst and some surprisingly clutch minutes from Brandin Podziemski.

By the time they walked into Minnesota, they looked like that dangerous veteran team that could make a run if things clicked. And for a quarter or two in Game 1, it looked like they just might.

Wolves: Building on Last Year’s Breakthrough

Minnesota entered the season trying to prove last year’s breakout wasn’t a one-hit wonder. They finished 49–33, which earned them the sixth seed in a crowded Western Conference, but the record didn’t really show just how confident and cohesive this group had become.

Flipping Karl-Anthony Towns for Julius Randle wasn’t a universally loved move at the time. Towns had been the face of the franchise for years. But the front office wanted more grit, more physicality, and Randle brought exactly that. His bruising, low-post game created space for Anthony Edwards to thrive. The two formed a kind of inside-out punch that kept defenses guessing — and their chemistry took off quicker than anyone expected.

It wasn’t just Randle either. Edwards leveled up again. The downhill drives were still there, but his reads got sharper, the jumper more reliable, and the confidence? Off the charts. He played like a guy who knew he belonged on the league’s biggest stage — and was ready to prove it.

That all came to a head in the first round, where they steamrolled a Lakers team that was supposed to give them problems. On paper, LeBron and Luka should’ve made things messy. Instead, Minnesota got out in transition, dictated pace, and shut the door in five.

The Timberwolves weren’t sneaking up on anyone anymore. They were here, and they were dangerous. 

Game 1: High Hopes, Sudden Heartbreak

Game 1 was supposed to be the start of a slugfest between two battle-tested rosters. Instead, it gave us one of the hardest gut-punches of the postseason.

Golden State actually looked sharp early, leaning on Jimmy Butler’s fourth-quarter poise and forcing the Timberwolves into a choppy rhythm. They came out with that veteran edge — controlling tempo, hitting the glass, and slowing down the young Wolves just enough to grind out a 99–88 win on the road. But no one was talking about the final score by the time the night ended.

Midway through the third quarter, Steph Curry made a simple move off the ball, and then it happened — he pulled up, reached for the back of his left leg, and after trying to power through it, limped off the floor. The whole building got quiet. Even Minnesota fans weren’t quite sure what they were watching at first. You just don’t see Steph leave a game unless something’s seriously wrong.

Later, the team confirmed it was a Grade 1 hamstring strain. That might not sound catastrophic, but given the timing — and the fact that Steph had never had a soft tissue injury before — it hit hard. Sixteen seasons of clean health in that area, and suddenly this?

One game into the series, and the tone had shifted completely. What started as a confident push toward another deep playoff run had suddenly become a damage-control mission. The Wolves hadn’t even fully warmed up yet, and they were already staring at a wounded opponent. The series, in a lot of ways, changed right there on that one play.

Games 2–4: Wolves Smell Blood, Warriors Search for Buckets

Game 2 was the moment Minnesota truly locked in. After a so-so opener, Anthony Edwards found his rhythm and lit up the scoreboard with 31. He was relentless — getting downhill, getting to the line, and creating mismatches anytime the Warriors switched. Julius Randle kept doing the dirty work inside, racking up 24 points, 7 boards, and 11 assists while leaving bruises on anyone who got in his way.

Meanwhile, Golden State couldn't buy a bucket from deep. They went just 9-for-32 from three, and without Steph to stretch the floor or collapse the defense, the Wolves packed the paint and dared someone else to beat them. No one did.

Game 3 back in San Francisco had all the markings of a gut-check night for the Warriors. Jimmy Butler did what he could, pouring in 33 and trying to will them through stretches where the offense stalled. But Minnesota kept hanging around. And in the fourth, Edwards basically took over the game.

All of a sudden, a winnable game turned into a 102–97 loss. To make matters worse, Draymond Green's antics were beginning to boil over like it was 2016 all over again. Only this time, there was no Klay coming to bail them out.

Game 4 followed a similar script. Kuminga continued his breakout with 23 points — showing exactly why Golden State’s front office is going to have to open the checkbook soon. But the Timberwolves were deeper, fresher, and more balanced. Both Edwards and Randle cracked the 30-point mark, taking turns carving up Golden State’s defense with their physicality and shot-making.

By Mother’s Day, the Wolves had pushed it to 3–1 and the Warriors were officially on life support. Curry was doing warm-up drills and light shooting, but it felt more like a Hail Mary than a real comeback plan.

Game 5: Close‑Out Night in Minneapolis

Target Center was rocking — 19,395 fans waving towels and making it crystal clear they had zero interest in this series heading back to Golden State.

From the opening tip, Minnesota played like a team that knew the moment was theirs to take. They torched the nets, shooting an absurd 63% from the field and 42% from deep, numbers you usually only see when someone accidentally leaves the sliders on in 2K. The Wolves were dialed in, sharp with their ball movement, and ruthless on the boards.

Julius Randle did what he's done all series, bullying his way to three straight buckets to open the third quarter and finishing with 29 points on 13-of-18 shooting. Edwards chipped in 22, playing with his usual downhill burst, and the rest of the starting five each cracked double digits.

Golden State didn’t fold easily. The young guns showed fight, especially Brandin Podziemski, who poured in 28 points looking like a veteran leader out there, and Jonathan Kuminga, who added 26 and kept pressure on Minnesota’s defense all night.

In the end, it was the little things that separated the Timberwolves in this one. Minnesota stayed locked in on the boards, moved the ball like they were on a string, and didn’t waste possessions. Now the Warriors are headed back to the drawing board, while the Wolves kick their feet up and wait to see who’s next.

What’s Next for the Warriors?

Kerr called the season “a hell of a run,” and honestly, that’s a fair way to sum it up. The Warriors got a midseason jolt from the Butler trade, saw Jonathan Kuminga take another big step forward, and watched Brandin Podziemski grow up right before their eyes. There was a lot to like — right up until that hamstring tugged everything off the rails.

Kerr talked about that jolt from getting Butler following the Game 5 loss:

“Jimmy changed our season, flipped everything for us, gave us a chance. We became one of the best teams in the league, and obviously, you know, you get to the final eight in the NBA, you’re one of the best teams. And we had had a shot.”

But now comes the hard part: figuring out what’s next.

Steph is 37. Draymond and Butler are both 35. This core has been through a lot of wars, and they’ve still got fight in them, but age doesn’t exactly wait around. The legs get heavier, the recoveries slower, and the margin for error thinner. If they want to chase another ring with this group, the window isn’t just narrow — it’s practically cracked open with a crowbar.

Then there’s Kuminga, who looks more and more like a future star every week. He’s about to hit restricted free agency, and his playoff run probably added a few million to whatever offer sheet he’s getting this summer. The Warriors will almost certainly match it, but it’s going to cost them.

Draft-wise, they’ve only got the No. 41 pick this year — not exactly a game-changer. So if upgrades are coming, they’ll have to come through trades or their own guys taking that next step.

The big-picture question is simple: Are they trying to go for it again with Steph and Butler at the top, or is it time to slowly start building around the younger guys while staying competitive?

Either way, GM Mike Dunleavy Jr. has a lot of decisions to make — and not much wiggle room to make them.

Wolves on the Hunt

For Minnesota, this isn’t some feel-good underdog run. That phase is over. Back-to-back trips to the Western Conference Finals isn’t just proof of progress — it’s a statement. They’ve built something real, something sustainable, and they’re not sneaking up on anyone anymore.

Julius Randle has changed the dynamic in a big way. With him next to Anthony Edwards, they’ve now got two guys who can go downhill and punish defenses — one with sheer force, the other with raw explosiveness. It’s a nightmare to guard. Add in Gobert still doing Gobert things defensively — clogging up the lane, contesting everything, and anchoring one of the stingiest defenses in the league — and you’ve got a team that can win in different ways. They don’t live and die by the three like most of the other teams.

Chris Finch has finally got the kind of depth that lets him survive those off nights from the arc, too. Whether it’s DiVincenzo, Dillingham, or Naz Reid giving them a spark, the Wolves have enough firepower to hang with anyone. Now they wait for the Nuggets or Thunder, and the days of just penciling in Jokic or SGA to the Finals are over. Minnesota is right there, kicking the door down.

All stats courtesy of NBA.com.